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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722981">awaiting sunrise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/athousandsatellites/pseuds/athousandsatellites'>athousandsatellites</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>respite and sunlight [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Established Relationship, F/F, Married Life, Post-Crimson Flower, Post-Game, Romance, Slice of Life, Trans Female My Unit | Byleth, trans!byleth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:27:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722981</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/athousandsatellites/pseuds/athousandsatellites</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Amidst their duties to Fodlán, Edelgard and Byleth seek to carve out something of their own.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>respite and sunlight [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105655</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>awaiting sunrise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Edelgard was no stranger to peaceless sleep. Night terrors, more often than not. The years following the Unification War had been kinder, but she couldn’t so easily forget the feel of rusted chains or the glow of small, beady eyes watching her from the shadows. Restful sleep was easier with Byleth and her Eagles, but her mind still loved to play cruel tricks on her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And what a cruel trick this was, to present her with so sweet a dream.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard frowned at the teddy bear in her hands; dark brown with one ear dangling by a few threads. Between her fingers—her <em> bare </em> fingers—was a needle and thread. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> What in the world? </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A hand tugged at her skirts. “Is it fixed yet Mommy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard twitched and started threading the needle through the bear’s ear again. “Almost my darling,” she said, her voice soft and faraway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A sniffle, followed by a head of untamed, light brown hair laying against her lap. The evening sun lit the room in an array of gold, orange, and pink hues. A comfort rivaled only by the bear rug underneath her feet and the sweet scent of freshly cut carnations resting in the vase beside her. As she worked, she cast a glance at the hearth. The firewood pile was running low. She would have to gather more tomorrow. The winter approaching looked to be a cold one and it would not do for either of them to be lax so soon after the twins had recovered from a bout of sickness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vaguely, she was aware of three pairs of feet shuffling around in the kitchen. The sound of fish being seared and vegetables being sliced, then Byleth shouting in surprise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard smiled to herself. She guessed the twins had started climbing Byleth’s legs again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, you can’t have dessert yet! Dinner isn’t even ready,” Byleth cried, exasperated. “Sweetheart, no! Get down from—El!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard grinned and sat the teddy bear down. It smiled back at her, whole. “There my darling,” she said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her daughter squealed and hugged it to her chest. Edelgard’s heart fluttered and she couldn’t resist standing up and sweeping her child off her feet. Her arms were bare from the simple white shirt she wore. She saw the scars along her wrists and cared only for the precious warmth she carried. Edelgard crossed the room as she peppered her little girl’s face with kisses, saying, “Let’s go rescue your mother.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her daughter beamed and brandished her teddy bear. “Mama, we’re coming!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hurry, <em> please! </em>” Byleth cried.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard strode into the kitchen and couldn’t help laughing at the sight she came upon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Byleth stood by the stove, trying to cook dinner as she batted away two children with identical dark blue hair. Their son held onto her legs, giggling every time Byleth moved. Their second daughter had climbed up to Byleth’s back, trying to open the cabinet above the stove as Byleth worked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Byleth’s relief was palpable when she noticed Edelgard. “Children, mother’s here! Go play with her,” she exclaimed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their boy’s face lit up and he immediately detached himself from Byleth’s leg to bury himself in Edelgard’s skirts. Edelgard raised an amused eyebrow at her wife.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ve faced an army before and can’t handle two children my dear?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Byleth was still struggling to untangle their daughter from her shoulders, not helped by sticky hands and cries of “No, no! I want to stay up!” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Armies never challenged me over a hot stove,” Byleth protested. She shot Edelgard a pleading look. “Now if you’ve nowhere else to be, then please get her off me—<em> ow! </em>Honey, please don’t tug so hard!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard took pity on her wife. She set down her other children by the table and pried their youngest one from Byleth’s shoulders. Again, Byleth glanced at her with frank relief. The open expression on her face reminded Edelgard of how far her wife had come. Her heart clenched. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here they were, after so many years of hardship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Byleth’s bright smile as she turned back to the stove still stole Edelgard’s breath away. “Want to help me make dinner?” she asked. “Or do you want to keep the kids busy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard glanced back at their children. Her oldest child had given her bear to ease her youngest’s pouting. Their son was content to watch Byleth cook, swinging his feet back and forth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think it best I help before the twins get bored again,” Edelgard said and stepped to Byleth’s side. She kissed her cheek and was rewarded with a tender gaze.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And to think, Edelgard mused as she set about helping Byleth, all this hadn’t seemed possible.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>She woke with a start. Dazed and shaking, it took her several moments to realize where she was. Enbarr, the palace. To her left, the large window revealed it was still dark out. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Instinctively, she reached to her right and relief filled her when her fingers brushed soft, unkempt locks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just a dream,” Edelgard sighed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As soon as the words left her mouth, an ache welled in her chest. Edelgard pursed her lips, staring at the large, spacious, and extravagant room. A chill ran down her spine. Their room had never looked so empty before. Unsettled, she turned on her side and pressed herself as close to Byleth as she could without waking her wife.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What little light there was danced upon Byleth’s face, highlighting the curve of her cheekbones and shine of her dark blue hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There were dark, sunken bags under her eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard sighed and played with a loose lock. “I had the strangest dream my love,” she whispered. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Byleth stirred in her sleep. Her hand searched across the pillows and Edelgard caught it with a wet chuckle. She kissed cold knuckles and then pressed Byleth’s hand to her cheek. The crease along Byleth’s brow disappeared.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Edelgard bit her lip, a question burning in her mind, lit by the remnants of her dream. She opened her mouth, shut it, and then opened it again, the words catching in her throat. A frustrated huff escaped her lips. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tomorrow, perhaps.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tonight, she was exhausted. <em> Byleth </em>was exhausted. Neither of them had had any moment for themselves, least of all each other. Edelgard felt sleep drag at her eyelids. That senseless dream had thrown her for a loop, but now, she wanted nothing more than to curl up against Byleth, ear to the lullaby that beat inside her wife’s chest, and rest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still, as Edelgard’s eyes fluttered shut, she could not let go of the image of tousled brown hair and wide blue eyes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A/N: And here is the start of the promised prequel to my one-shot "a place to rest". It's been a while since I've committed to a longer fic so I apologize for any drop in quality. I don't expect this to be a longfic, but nonetheless I hope all of you enjoy it. Tags and rating will be adjusted accordingly as I work.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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